AFN and AFN Women's Council Support Call for National Action Plan to End
Violence Against Indigenous Women

OTTAWA, Oct 4 /CNW/ - Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo and AFN Women's Council Chair Kathleen McHugh today expressed continued support for the leadership and efforts of the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) through the Sisters in Spirit campaign in calling for a national action plan to end violence against Indigenous women in Canada.

"Today's vigil on Parliament Hill is a demonstration of support for the pressing need to ensure our Indigenous grandmothers, mothers, sisters and daughters remain safe," said AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo.  "The $10 million, two year commitment by the federal government in this year's Throne Speech is a positive step, but with now 582 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women, much more must be done.  We have supported action for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls at meetings with the provincial premiers and territorial leaders and the federal government. All levels of government must work collaboratively with AFN, NWAC and other Indigenous and women's organizations to examine the root causes as to why so many Indigenous women are placed in vulnerable situations and dedicate ourselves finding ways to prevent further violence."

The 5th Sisters in Spirit Vigil took place this afternoon on Parliament Hill, honouring the lives and memories of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.  NWAC and its national partners KAIROS, Amnesty International, the Canadian Federation of Students, the National Association of Friendship Centers, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, the Assembly of First Nations and the Ottawa Sisters in Spirit Vigil committee issued a joint statement calling for a commitment from all Canadians to make the safety of all Aboriginal women a priority and ending systemic forms of violence.

"In addition to ongoing efforts by First Nations women's groups and other Indigenous women's groups across Canada, the Sisters in Spirit Vigil on Parliament Hill today and the many other vigils taking place across the country, help draw attention to the need for an urgent and full response to what we consider a breach of human rights on our families," said AFN Women's Council Chair Kathleen McHugh. "We will be persistent in our work to improve public awareness and accountability for national statistics on violent crime against all Indigenous women.  By using the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as our guide, we will elevate the social status of all Indigenous women, help close the socio-economic gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians and eliminate inequalities in services available to our children, particularly the child welfare system.  We will also work to ensure effective and unbiased police response through mandatory culturally-based training, resources and coordination."

NWAC launched the Sisters in Spirit campaign in 2004 and the Sisters in Spirit Vigil movement for social change began in 2006 with the courage, strength and love of families who lost loved ones to violence.  Other Sisters in Spirit vigils have been organized in at least 78 communities across Canada.

The Assembly of First Nations is the national organization representing First Nation citizens in Canada. 

For further information:

Jenna Young, Assembly of First Nations Communications Officer at 613-241-6789, ext 401, 613-314-8157 or [email protected].

Alain Garon, AFN Bilingual Communications Officer 613-241-6789, ext 382, 613 292-0857 or [email protected]